HAIKOU, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Sales of offshore duty-free shops in China's island province of Hainan exceeded 5 billion yuan (about 720 million U.S. dollars) from July 1 to August 18, an increase of 250 percent year on year, local authorities said Wednesday.

Data showed some 740,000 customers visited Hainan's duty-free shops during the period, up 70 percent year on year.

Chen Xi, director of the provincial department of commerce, said the newly introduced duty-free goods were welcomed by customers, with mobile phones, liquor and tablets being the best-selling products.

Total sales of single products priced above 8,000 yuan reached nearly 1.2 billion yuan, surging by 420 percent year on year. "It has played an important role in winning back consumers who bought high-end products overseas," Chen said.

Starting on July 1, Hainan increased its annual tax-free shopping quota from 30,000 yuan to 100,000 yuan per person.

The range of duty-free goods has also expanded from 38 categories to 45, while the previous tax-free limit of 8,000 yuan for a single product has been lifted.

China released a master plan in early June on building the southern island province into a globally influential free trade port.

Tourists shop at a duty-free store in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, Aug. 18, 2020. China's island province of Hainan has recorded 2.49 billion yuan (about 360 million U.S. dollars) in duty-free shopping by tourists in July. During the period, about 384,000 tourists visited the island, up 54.1 percent year on year. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng)

Tourists shop at a duty-free store in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, Aug. 18, 2020. China's island province of Hainan has recorded 2.49 billion yuan (about 360 million U.S. dollars) in duty-free shopping by tourists in July. During the period, about 384,000 tourists visited the island, up 54.1 percent year on year. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng)

Tourists shop at a duty-free store in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, Aug. 18, 2020. China's island province of Hainan has recorded 2.49 billion yuan (about 360 million U.S. dollars) in duty-free shopping by tourists in July. During the period, about 384,000 tourists visited the island, up 54.1 percent year on year. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng)

Tourists shop at a duty-free store in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, Aug. 18, 2020. China's island province of Hainan has recorded 2.49 billion yuan (about 360 million U.S. dollars) in duty-free shopping by tourists in July. During the period, about 384,000 tourists visited the island, up 54.1 percent year on year. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng)

Tourists shop at a duty-free store in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, Aug. 18, 2020. China's island province of Hainan has recorded 2.49 billion yuan (about 360 million U.S. dollars) in duty-free shopping by tourists in July. During the period, about 384,000 tourists visited the island, up 54.1 percent year on year. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng)

Tourists shop at a duty-free store in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, Aug. 18, 2020. China's island province of Hainan has recorded 2.49 billion yuan (about 360 million U.S. dollars) in duty-free shopping by tourists in July. During the period, about 384,000 tourists visited the island, up 54.1 percent year on year. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng)

Tourists shop at a duty-free store in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, Aug. 18, 2020. China's island province of Hainan has recorded 2.49 billion yuan (about 360 million U.S. dollars) in duty-free shopping by tourists in July. During the period, about 384,000 tourists visited the island, up 54.1 percent year on year. (Xinhua/Guo Cheng)